Uconn

Daigneault: In Year 2, Pasqualoni hits the right notes By Ed Daigneault Republican-American

FILE - In this Aug. 3, 2012, file photo, Connecticut coach Paul Pasqualoni calls to players during NCAA college football practice in Storrs, Conn. Connecticut comes into 2012 trying to avoid its first back-to-back losing seasons since 2006, with the pressure squarely on second-year head coach Paul Pasqualoni and a couple of other sophomores. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)

Late Saturday morning, the media had wrapped up their time with UConn football coach Paul Pasqualoni and dispersed to speak to players when Pasqualoni suddenly summoned the reporters back.

He had forgotten to inform them that reserve safety Gilbert Stlouis made up his mind to transfer. The media are usually attentive in these matters, but during the course of the open practice nobody had noticed that Stlouis was not on the field. With 100-plus guys to account for, sometimes one falls through the cracks, especially one who has never found his way onto the depth chart.

It was a mild surprise that Pasqualoni even said anything about it. Rare is the coach who will openly discuss players' absences when they are noticed, never mind a coach actually offering up that sort of information without being asked. It is one of the many changes easily noticed in year two of Pasqualoni's time.

He possesses, like every football coach, a sense of paranoia. It's a trait that apparently must be listed on every football coach's resume. But he is not so paranoid as to provide as much honesty as possible.

A new day has dawned on the UConn football program, evidenced by the fact that Stlouis isn't going anywhere. By Monday, word moved around that he had returned to practice at UConn and that was confirmed Tuesday morning.

The return of a dedicated player, albeit one stuck in a logjam, is not incredibly newsworthy, but Pasqualoni's handling of personnel situations already this preseason certainly is. Mike Osiecki and Scott McCummings were given excused absences of varying lengths to deal with personal issues, along with invitations to return when he felt ready. Michael Nebrich and Stephen Brown transferred out of the program with Pasqualoni's blessing.

Pasqualoni discussed all of those situations with the even tone of a man who understands. Results on the field ultimately will determine how Pasqualoni will be remembered at UConn. But to disregard the perfect touch with which he handles the people who play for him would be foolish and wrong.

Pasqualoni is not going to regale you with humorous quotes the way Jim Calhoun and Geno Auriemma do. As far as grand pronouncements and public image go, Pasqualoni is about as dry as they come. In that regard, he is Randy Edsall with fewer verbal tics.

While he shares a disciplinary approach that mirrors Edsall's, he is the anti-Edsall when it comes to dealing with his players in many cases. Yes, Pasqualoni booted Jerome Junior from the team for his misdeeds. But he also allowed Lyle McCombs to work his way back into the good graces after an ar-

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rest and kept Michael Smith with the Huskies are his academic stumbles last fall.

Nobody disputes that Pasqualoni's predecessor cared deeply about his team, but one cannot dispute that Edsall was loathe to give platitudes. Dan Orlovsky set nearly every passing record in UConn history and was a big reason for UConn's early FBS success. Still, compliments toward Orlovsky had to be pried out of Edsall.

A couple of years ago, when Sio Moore had 17 tackles in a game against West Virginia, Edsall glossed over that and focused on the mistakes Moore made. A couple of days later, Moore was named the national defensive player of the week. Edsall had no choice then but to praise Moore.

Pasqualoni takes a different approach, handing out the public praise and saving the criticisms for private meetings. Pasqualoni will often say a player "has to be better" but only after he's lifted that player up. The Huskies appear to appreciate such an approach.

Osiecki, McCummings and Nebrich all said Pasqualoni could not have been more helpful in their respective situations. Stlouis obviously decided sticking around, despite the possibility of rarely getting on the field, was worth it.

Don't be fooled by the white hair of the freshly minted 63-year-old. Pasqualoni gets it. He dispenses the harsh discipline when necessary, but has the patience to treat each situation as a separate entity. He understands his players are young men first (facing issues at home, with girlfriends, in school) and football players second. He exists to assist them; they don't exist to play for him.

The won-loss record will hold the final judgment of Pasqualoni. At least in dealing with his players in a laudable manner, Pasqualoni is undefeated.

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